Mandatory carcass grading and price reporting will be required in slaughterhouses from Wednesday, January 28

WELSH sheep farmers are set to see new rules introduced next week aimed at making the lamb market fairer and more transparent.

From Wednesday (Jan 28), slaughterhouses in Wales will be required to classify sheep carcasses and report prices using a standardised system. The Welsh Government says the move will improve consistency in grading, make price information easier to compare, and help build confidence for farmers selling stock.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies announced the change during the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) Farmhouse Breakfast event at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff.

He said the measures would support the industry by ensuring a consistent methodology for classifying carcasses in slaughterhouses, promoting transparency, fairness and productivity within the sheep market.

“Our iconic Welsh lamb is celebrated around the world for its outstanding quality and high production standards,” he said. “These measures will implement a consistent methodology for classifying sheep carcasses in slaughterhouses, promoting transparency, fairness, and increased productivity within the sheep market.”

The regulations bring the sheep sector into line with rules already used for beef and pork.

Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales chief executive José Peralta said the changes would allow for greater data capture and analysis and improve transparency within the supply chain.

He said: “The new regulations, which now align with a similar position for cattle and pigs, will allow for greater data capture and analysis to be undertaken and support increased transparency within the sector. As a sector we must seek all opportunities for greater transparency within the supply chain to ensure that choices can be made from an informed position.”

The Welsh Government says the new approach is part of a wider UK framework, with similar arrangements already operating elsewhere.

During his address, the Deputy First Minister also pointed to further changes expected in 2026, including the planned introduction of the Sustainable Farming Scheme, which the Welsh Government describes as a new partnership between the people of Wales and farmers.

The scheme is intended to support the sustainable production of food while also responding to the climate and nature emergency.

The Welsh Government has also confirmed its commitment to financial support during the transition, with up to £238 million committed to the Universal layer and the legacy Basic Payment Scheme in 2026.

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies said: “I would like to reiterate the Welsh Government’s commitment to supporting Welsh family farms, not just in the short term but also in the long run. Our goal is to prioritise stability for the farming industry, ensuring to balance this with sustainability at its very core.”

He added that supporting farmers through the change would be a priority, with consistent advice and support offered across the sector.

Building fairness within the agricultural supply chain remains a key Welsh Government priority, which it says is also integral to food security.

Court hears claims of controlling behaviour, repeated calls and violent incidents during relationship

A MAN accused of a catalogue of controlling, violent and sexual offences has appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where jurors heard evidence of alleged stalking, assaults and rape during a turbulent relationship.

Yogesh Parmar, 35, was arrested on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, after police spotted his vehicle. The court heard Parmar became aggressive during the arrest and had to be restrained and placed in handcuffs in Swansea.

Detective Constable Lauren Williams told the court she conducted a police interview with the defendant on Wednesday, June 18, 2025. She said she reviewed phone records obtained by police which showed a pattern of repeated calls to the complainant made from a withheld number.

DC Williams said the records indicated the complainant received five calls on March 4, 2025, twelve calls on March 8, 2025, and a further thirty-two calls on March 18, 2025.

When questioned about the calls while giving evidence, Parmar accepted he might be responsible, telling the court: “It is possible, yes.”

The jury heard the complainant discovered a second phone while the couple were living at Rosehill Terrace, which she believed showed Parmar was being unfaithful. She later told police that during this period she was allegedly forced into a car and driven somewhere against her will.

Another incident shown to the court included video footage recorded while the couple were driving towards Aberystwyth. In the video, Parmar could be seen revving the engine while the complainant repeatedly asked to put her seatbelt on. Jurors heard she appeared frightened in the footage. Parmar told the court he was “very confused” at the time and said he was “just trying to make sense of the situation”.

The complainant also alleged that while Parmar was living at Mount Pleasant Square, he struck her four times in the face after she believed he had been unfaithful again. She told the court no photographs were taken of her injuries because Parmar was “very possessive” of her phone.

As the trial continued, the complainant became visibly distressed while giving evidence. At 2.43pm, the judge ordered the jury and the complainant to leave the courtroom and reprimanded defence counsel, Mr Leathly, for what was described as a harsh and indirect line of questioning.

Jurors also heard a serious allegation that Parmar raped the complainant on one occasion. She told the court she informed him it was rape, and that approximately twenty minutes later, the assault happened again.

Prepared statements were also read to the court. One, from a close friend of the complainant, said communication with her “faded drastically” while she was in a relationship with Parmar. Another statement described how Parmar approached a work colleague asking to talk about the complainant. The colleague said Parmar “ground me down” until she eventually agreed to speak to the complainant.

Further video evidence was played while Parmar was in the witness box, appearing to show him attempting to gain entry to a property where the complainant was staying. In the footage, a woman could be heard sounding frightened. When asked who she was afraid of, Parmar admitted it was him.

The court also heard Parmar allegedly attended the complainant’s place of work and followed her home while she travelled in an Uber. When asked by the prosecution whether he believed she wanted him to follow her, Parmar replied: “I just wanted to know what was going on.”

During proceedings, defence counsel Mr Leathly referred to the defendant’s character, telling the court: “He is not a man of good character, of course.” The jury has heard Parmar has a previous conviction for stalking, committed between August 16 and November 4, 2022.

The trial continues.

Only 64.3% of patients were seen within four hours in December, as Conservatives accuse Welsh Government of failing to end long waits

PERFORMANCE in Welsh emergency departments has slipped further from the four-hour target, with new NHS figures showing the lowest level for three years.

The latest statistics show that in December, only 64.3% of patients spent less than four hours in emergency departments from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge — far below the 95% target.

The figures also show 10,193 patients waited 12 hours or more in December, despite the target being that no patients should face waits of that length.

The Welsh Conservatives said the overall NHS waiting list remains at 757,866 patient pathways (November), which they described as the equivalent of nearly one in four people in Wales. They also highlighted what they claim is a continuing gap with England, stating that Wales had 6,883 two-year waits for treatment compared with 177 in England.

In a statement, Peter Fox MS, Chair of the Senedd’s Health and Social Care Committee and the Welsh Conservatives’ Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, said: “It is clear that after 27 years of Plaid-backed Labour Governments, our NHS is broken. In some areas, the situation is even deteriorating.”

He claimed ambulance response times, cancer performance and emergency department waits had all worsened, and said the Welsh Conservatives would declare a “health emergency”, increase hospital bed capacity, and roll out rapid diagnostic centres and surgical hubs to improve patient flow and cut waits.

The Welsh Government has previously pointed to recent reductions in the overall waiting list and the longest waits for planned treatment, alongside investment aimed at increasing appointment capacity, including through weekend clinics.